unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center

Two defensively challenged teams square off Wednesday in the first installment this season for basketball supremacy in New York.The Brooklyn Nets (3-4) make a quick jaunt across the East River to face the New York Knicks (2-4) in the first of four meetings between the Atlantic Division rivals.The Knicks have allowed at least 30 points or more in 10 of the 24 quarters this season, including a season-high 36 in the fourth quarter of a 114-109 loss at home to Utah on Sunday. New York was leading at the half 54-49.Teams are shooting 46.4 percent against the Knicks, ranking them 27th. Their 3-point defense is ranked 28th and their defensive rebounding percentage is the lowest among the 32 teams.The Knicks are 27th in the league in defensive scoring, allowing 109.8 points a game. Their defensive rating, which is based on points allowed per 100 possessions, is last in the league.The Nets are coming off a 119-110 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday. They are allowing 107 points per game, placing them 21st in the league. Their defensive rating is 19th in the league.To hopefully help offset some of the Knicks defensive woes, coach Jeff Hornacek has put assistant Kurt Rambis in charge of the defense. Rambis was the interim coach during the second half of last season after Derek Fisher was fired.It couldve been anybody, Hornacek told the New York Post of the change. It couldve been Jerry (Sichting). It couldve been Corey (Gaines). We all talk as a coaching staff about the same things. Kurt had some of these guys last year, so just thought it was better to put him in there.The Knicks favored offense is the much ballyhooed triangle, which they also practice to defend. The problem is the majority of the NBA plays a pick-and-roll offense, which the Knicks are having problems defending against.I mean, thats the way that the game of basketball is being played these days, regardless of whether we want to admit to it or not, Carmelo Anthony told Northjersey.com.Anthony leads the Knicks in scoring at 22.8 points per game.I wouldnt say Im frustrated, Anthony said. Theres some things we have to get better at, some things that we have to do better. And we have to figure that part out. We have to work at it. ... I wouldnt be frustrated at this point in the season because we still have some work to do.To compound the Nets defensive shortcomings, coach Kenny Atkinson has been forced to play a short-handed backcourt. Atkinson said he has not decided if guard Jeremy Lin, who is out with a strained left hamstring, will travel on the upcoming road trip.Veteran Randy Foyes return from a hamstring injury will bolster the defense, although his minutes will be limited. Foye saw 14 minutes of action Tuesday.Backup guard Greivis Vasquez is also sidelined, forcing Atkinson to use rookie Isaiah Whitehead and combo-guard Sean Kilpatrick, who ranks second on the team in scoring and seems to have found stability with his third team in two seasons.I think Sean (Kilpatrick) can definitely play the point, Atkinson told the New York Post. Hes done it. He handles pick-and-roll, but we dont want to get Sean too out of his role. Hes done a fantastic job scoring off the bench for us.Atkinson also said the Nets will decide Wednesday if center Brook Lopez plays at New York on the second end of a back-to-back. Lopez led the Nets with 26 points against Minnesota. He sat out the second part of a back-to-back Oct. 28 in Milwaukee. Clearance Nike Free . Walcott is available for Saturdays home match against Southampton as Arsenal looks to extend its two-point lead at the top of the Premier League. The Gunners are currently the second highest scorers in the league but Wenger insists Walcott will add something extra to his team. Nike Free Wholesale China . World champions Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov of Russia won the gold medal with 237.71 points, Moore-Towers and Moscovitch followed at 208.45 and Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov of Russia were third at 187. http://www.wholesalenikefree.com/ . The winner Saturday will remain in the elite 10-team field next year. "We talked about wanting to be disciplined and stick with our game plan and good things will come," Draisaitl said, who had two goals for the victors. Cheap Nike Free With Free Shipping . General manager Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch on Friday that he wants to see Gaboriks contributions go beyond the scoresheet before considering a long-term deal for the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent. Wholesale Nike Free . Following a lopsided 5-2 loss against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night, Paul MacLean told reporters that "theres a lack of focus, theres a lack of leadership and theres a lack of preparation" with his struggling team. That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself. Record-breaking North Melbourne midfielder Brent Harvey has officially announced his retirement from the AFL at the Kangaroos Syd Baker club champion dinner.The 38-year-old, who made his debut against Richmond in 1996, hangs up his boots after playing a AFL/VFL record 432 games for the club he helped to win the 1999 premiership.Harvey scored 518 goals and played in 24 finals matches during a stellar career that saw him named an All-Australian five times.On an emotional evening, in front of a crowd of more than 900 people, North Melbourne skipper Andrew Swallow also announced hell hand over tthe captaincy for the 2017 campaign.ddddddddddddThe 29-year-old was first appointed captain in 2012, leading North to three finals campaigns in his four seasons, including two preliminary-final appearances in 2014 and 2015.The Kangaroos have yet to appoint their new captain and leadership group for next year.The club also paid tribute to Drew Petrie, Michael Firrito and Nick Dal Santo, who along with Harvey, werent offered new contracts at the end of last season. 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